Electromagnetic generators are well known in the prior art. Broadly, prior art electromagnetic generators generate electricity by varying a magnetic field, which induces electrical current in an adjacent coil. The magnetic field source has traditionally been a permanent magnet, but electromagnets have also been used.
The prior art devices typically use a magnetic field source, which is disposed adjacent to a coil, such that a small air gap separates the two. Several such pairs of magnetic field sources and coils may be used in a single device to increase efficiency. Most prior art devices operate by either moving the magnetic field source relative to the coil, or by moving the coil relative to the magnetic field source to generate magnetic field fluctuations (also referred to as “magnetic flux” or “flux”), and thereby induce electrical current into the coils. To that end most prior art devices use a stator and a rotor, the stator housing the stationary component and the rotor moving the other component relative to the stationary one.
Additionally, there are several prior art devices that utilize a magnetic field blocking device to generate a changing flux within windings to generate electricity. The magnetic field blocking device is typically a magnetic field impermeable disk which has magnetic field permeable portions cut out in tooth-like or window-like configurations. The disk is disposed in the air gap between the magnetic field source and the coil. The flux-blocking disk is rotated in such a way as to alternatively allow axial flux to pass through from the magnetic field source to the coil, or to redirect the axial flux away from the coil. Alternatively, the flux-blocking disk is held stationary, and one of the coils or magnetic field source are rotated. For examples of such prior art devices see U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,444, U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,430, U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,626, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,730.
However, prior art devices suffer from a number of deficiencies, such as heavy and expensive to manufacture rotors, heavy stators, and low efficiency, among others.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a more efficient generator of electrical energy. The inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to such a generator of electrical energy having fixed magnetic field source and conductor, and using an ancillary process other than movement of the magnetic field source and the conductor relative to one another, to vary the strength or polarity of the flux in the magnetic field of the magnetic field source, and thereby induce electrical current in the conductor.